Oregon Author Introduces New Sleuth

Sounds like a book review huh? Well, it is and the author is part of Trinity Episcopal Church in Ashland, Oregon. Ashland, known as a virtual hotbed of creativity that includes theatre, cabaret, poets, writers of all types, film festivals, film locations, and oh yeah, politics. But I regress...

Need some fun but brainy reading this summer? Look no further than the Tess Camillo Mysteries by Morgan Hunt. Southern Oregon's answer to Janet Evanovich, Morgan Hunt is awaiting the release of the third book in this series of song-inspired titles which include "Sticky Fingers" and "Fool on the Hill". Book three, "Blinded By the Light" is due for release this September.


"I could guess who wore the pants in their family, probably because she more often wore the skirts."

Take an ordinary life, add southern California, spice with San Diego and watch what happens to your average 40-something woman and see what you get. Tess Camillo is almost "Everywoman" in her quest for a good living, good health and a settled life...right? Nuh-uh. Here is a character that is unabashedly modern, grooves to 70's and 90's tunes and then finds herself more than curious about the death of another woman's partner. I won't tell you too much but along with the death-defying humor there is the death defying cancer survivor as well. And if that doesn't give you some grit, nothing else will. Personally I had a difficult time putting the book down because the pace was a good canter until the end when it went into full gallop. A great beginning to a good read.


"After all, he seemed to have no enemies. But if that's true, why did someone brutally murder him? Tess snoops at the homes of Hollywood music producers, at LegoLand, in church, and on a carousel to find her answers..."

In the second book, there are many candidates for title of "Fool on the Hill". But there is only one woman who can figure out who it really is and why. Once again, Tess strays into a situation not of her own making but the mere shock value of the crime is enough to make anyone truly curious about the circumstances. Taken once again on a zippy and entertaining ride through the book's pages, you learn even a little more about our hero, though she would never consider herself one, such is her on and off again modesty but when she gets it right, the world knows about it. Characters like chords, each one has its own tune to play...

When Tess' work takes her to Albuquerque for a temp assignment, she decides to visit the Lightning Field, an earthworks art piece constructed of 400 lightning rods arranged in an intriguing way out in the New Mexican desert. The remote locale is disrupted when a fellow visitor is apparently killed by lightning. Tess knows it was no accident, and how she solves this crime is quite a shocker!

And so it is without a lot of fanfare that I say I am eager to read the third book that is coming out in the Fall. "Blinded by the Light" promises to propel us right along as Tess is thrust yet again into a murder scenario not of her choosing. Stay tuned!

Would you like to know more about the author?










(Morgan at Bloomsbury Books, Ashland)

Visit her website at Morgan Hunt Books.